Day 292: Interesting Lecture

This morning I attended a lecture offered at the boys school sponsored by the PTA at Palisades Charter High School. Neighbor and dear gal pal Teresa Jones and I went together. The monthly programs have always sounded interesting, but with my crazy schedule I've never been able to attend. Today I made it happen!

The guest speaker was Dr. Richard Cohen, a well sought-after and respected psychologist who specializes in teens and their behaviors, and relationships with their families. He covers teen drugs, alcohol, sex, relationships, anger, and a whole host of teenage related issues. And as we know there can be quite a few!

Teenagers are a breed to themselves. With changing hormones, peer pressure, wanting to fit "in", competitive school work, and exploring their sexuality, it is a rough time for them and can be a challenge for us parents as well.

So today Dr. Cohen discussed anger, and how it is a behavior so prevalent in teens. He is a licensed anger management specialist. He offered strategies parents can implement to avoid engaging in "battle" with their teens. He discussed how it's very "normal" behavior for teens to have angst, pressure, anxiety, and to take all these emotions out on their parents.

So if you are a parent raising teens now, know that you are not alone in this awkward stage in your child's life. Part of the separation process for adolescents is that they challenge their parents and assert their independence.

Know that as the parent you have the power to control the situation by how you react, how you engage, and what you say during these encounters.

It was a very interesting conversation and I benefited from hearing Dr. Cohen's thoughts and strategies. Parenting like marriage, and all our relationships, takes work, commitment and love. It is not by luck that your kids will ride these years absent of "issues", you must ensure that they do.

Day 118: A Comment From The Author!

Oh my gosh I can't control my excitement or my honor! I received a comment today on my Blog regarding my Day: 110 post about Summer Reading Assignments. The post was about how my High School boys, Harrison & Spencer, have reading assignments over the summer and how I feel about such homework over the summer.

I listed the titles and authors of the books the boys selected to read and shared with my followers how I always read the boys' summer selected books. I had started this when Brandon, the college boy, entered Middle School because I was curious about adolescence and believed that reading novels directed to this age group could enlighten me more about what is going on in those crazy minds during teenage years.

I shared in this post how I find reading teenage books a tremendous insight into what our teenagers are going through developmentally in their lives. I have always enjoyed this summer treat of reading their books.

Well, can you believe that one of the authors I listed actually found my BLOG and sent me a message! I mean can you believe this!?! I really am still in shock that a published author took the time to send me a message on my silly Birthday Blog! I am so honored and moved by her comment. Below is the beautiful message she sent me:

I had to comment here even though writers are not supposed to admit they ego-google. But I'm outing myself because I wanted to congratulate you on your wonderful and responsible attitude toward your children's reading assignments. It is a refreshing change from the growing number of parents who read children's books in order to censor not only what their own children are allowed access to but in attempt to control the reading choices of other children. There is so much quality work being written and published for kids and teenagers. Kudos to you for recognizing its value. Melissa Wyatt

(If Harrison has any questions about Funny How Things Change, tell him to feel free to contact me through my website: www.melissawyatt.com. I'd be delighted to respond.)

Needless to say I am in love with this woman for her thoughtfulness and that she took the time to respond so lovingly! You can bet that when Harrison & I finish reading Melissa Wyatt's book we will be following up with her! I'm thinking that perhaps we invite her to Palisades Charter High School to speak to his English class! I'm really so very touched that my post resonated with the author.

Maybe I am on to something with this blogging daily...maybe I do have some words that are worth reading...thank you Melissa for this wonderful boost for a local blogging writer!

Day 110: Summer Reading Assignments

Not sure if I appreciate the summer reading assignments given to the boys or resent the project. Haven't quite decided yet. Every summer I go through the same thoughts. Part of me rejoices that the boys have to read and are given this assignment. I feel grateful that they have to read a book or two accompanied by a very detailed writing assignment. The other part of me resents any assignment that interferes with summer. I tend to lean more in favor of the former, because if it were up to me I'd have them reading everyday, but I lost that battle a long time ago.

So today the boys selected their summer reading books. Harrison's going to read, Funny How Things Change, by Melissa Wyatt and Spencer will read All The Broken Pieces by Amy Burg. Neither one are easy reads. Both have difficult subject matter. The first deals with a teen struggling to make the right decisions post High School and the latter is about an adoptive Vietnamese boy who has to examine his past.

Call me funny or odd but I read the summer books they chose to read. I started this when Brandon hit High School. There's something very informative about reading novels directed to adolescence and the teenage years. When you read about characters in this age group and the issues they deal with, I believe it makes you appreciate and or understand what your own children might be going trhough in their lives. It's just another way for me to learn more about the developmental stages of this becoming of age period in their life.

I love to read and wish I found more time to do it. I go through periods where I always have a book on the nightstand and can't seem to put it down, to dry patches where I'm not reading anything. I can always count on the mid summer read with the teenage books though. Give it a try... read your son's or daughter's books this summer ... I think you just might enjoy the challenge and learn a little something a long the way.